Intrinsic Charm of Solo Travelling

Friday August 23rd, 2019

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“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of solo adventures. Everything from eating lunch by yourself to strolling in the park alone all help to shape your sense of independence. If you’re never by yourself how will you ever know yourself.” —Unknown

Travelling is a fun activity that when done with someone else or with a group of your friends, it’s becomes more enjoyable. You get to laugh together, people-watch together, and get to experience adventures together. However, there are times that we need time for ourselves.

Solo travelling, also known as ‘me time’, alone time, or self-discovery as some would call it, has now become a favourite vacation style. While having companions is the merrier way, it can’t be denied that going on trips alone has its beautiful merits.

Know thyself

Most of us have this firm, astute notion that we know everything about ourselves. Who else would be have all the details of our lives – from the food we love, what colour we like, who we personally adore, or why Thailand will always be home – no one, but you alone. We assume and is 100% confident we know ourselves but when faced with adverse and rather unknown scenarios, one continues to unfold other learnings towards self-discovery.

This is where solo travelling is essential.

Taking trips alone may seem expensive at first glance. Imagine, paying for everything – food, accommodation, souvenirs, tours — alone. Then there is also the concept of panic which may also contribute to the negativity of solo travels. But as the saying goes, “fortune favours the bold”. You don’t need to travel far from your comfort zone to experience the beauty of going solo. For example, Koh Samui is just a few minutes of plane ride from the cities of Thailand.

Trendy Trips

Going on a trip alone has slowly increased over the years. It is now normal to take trips by yourself without the need to explain to others why. The developments in accessibility to accommodations and ease of transportation has strengthened this upward trend.

It is also good to note that technology has helped propelled this even further. With the surge of different travel apps and platforms, individuals are assured that they can 1) navigate unknown cities on their own, 2) discover unexplored places in an instant, and 3) still connect with other people regardless of location and time difference. Add in that people now understands that taking solo trips is not based on social status anymore but by desire to take a journey of a lifetime.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (PS. I Love you).

There are a lot of evidence that going on a trip alone has positive effects on a person. According to one of the researches done, people tend to go alone because it is a chance to indulge oneself.

Since you are on your own, you have the freedom to do whatever you want without having to ask or consider other people. Solo travellers are without limits when it comes to scheduling their itinerary, what to do, or even how many times are allotted to eating. Imagine the opportunity to have spontaneous fun! You can have an unplanned trip and be okay with it since you alone will decide what to do.

Eventually, the experiences gained from taking a ‘me time’ in a new place will lead to self-discovery, fulfilling of curiosity, and expanding one’s perspective. What an absolute adventure that is!